Three UF fraternities are facing possible sanctions from the university for allowing underage drinking at events over the summer and early fall.
Lambda Chi Alpha, Theta Chi and Sigma Phi Epsilon have all been charged with providing alcohol to minors.
In perhaps the most serious case to involve an actual charge against a fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon is accused of providing alcohol in late July to two 17-year-old girls — one of whom was transported to the emergency room after she vomited inside of a Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol, or SNAP, vehicle near Fraternity Drive — and one 18-year-old male UF student.
The student told police he and the two girls had been at a party at the fraternity’s house, where they had been drinking.
Brock Hankins, Sigma Phi Epsilon president, said that wasn’t the case at all. Hankins said the student and his two friends followed several residents into the house and began taking beers from various refrigerators.
They were in the house for two to three hours, Hankins said, before they were asked to leave.
He said the fraternity views the incident as a case of breaking and entering, but chose not to file charges against the student because he meant no harm.
In recognition of the seriousness of the event, he said the fraternity installed electronic padlocks on all its doors and unanimously voted to become alcohol-free for the rest of summer until early September, when fall rush ended.
Chris Loschiavo, director of UF’s Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, said while the fraternity may not have encouraged the behavior of the individuals, it has a responsibility to make sure everyone who is drinking alcohol on its property is of age.
“Even though he got in, that doesn’t change the fact that they were still providing alcohol to a minor,” he said.
He also noted the underage drinkers were in the house for quite a long time.
“If someone walked into your house and started helping themselves to your bar, you would probably kick them out right away,” he said.
In relation to another incident in early September, Theta Chi is accused of hosting an off-campus keg party with underage drinking.
A UF student pledging the fraternity held the party at his house and told police after he was arrested he felt he shouldn’t get in trouble because the fraternity forced him to throw the party for other pledges, according to a police report.
Ryan Mills, president of Theta Chi, disputed that version of events. Several new members of the fraternity decided, on their own, to host the off-campus party, he wrote in an e-mail.
The members involved were suspended, he wrote, and the fraternity’s international headquarters and regional counselor also instituted sanctions.
Loschiavo said there is no evidence to suggest the student was forced to hold the party and that he told police the story to try to get out of trouble.
The student could not be reached for comment.
In the third incident that resulted in charges against a fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha is accused of providing alcohol to minors after several students were found smoking marijuana from an empty beer can in the woods near the fraternity house in late August.
The underage students told police they had been drinking at a party at the fraternity.
Lambda Chi Alpha president Cameron Heard wrote in an e-mail that the fraternity did not want to comment.
If found responsible for the charges, the fraternities face a number of possible penalties.
In a similar incident in April involving the Inter-Residence Hall Association, the group was given a written reprimand and executive members were required to attend an educational seminar.
